I have tried and tried all the short cuts, some have worked well for me in the past but ultimately they all have failed. 

I didn't realize a title company could run a 'check' on the property.

I have been invited by a fellow that is a member of Biggerpockets to be involved in buying and selling single family homes and I might go into that because of my brother who has plenty of experience and is knowledgeable in that field and he has offered to help me.The reason I chose apartments is that I have been convinced of it ultimately because of all I have learned that it is the best way to go long term and ultimately you can hire a Property Management Company that will take care of the daily operations and that managing a property management company will not very time consuming. 

Check out the Ultimate Free Beginners Guide

It depends on your ultimate goals and risk tolerance.

Since the ultimate list of SDIRA custodians is so lengthy, and have proved that talking to them doesn't necessarily tell you how they will perform, I am still looking for recommendations from people who have actually done satisfactory business with the company.Let me know if you find a company that works out and I will keep you posted as well if I find someone!

Ultimately the key to your success as a wholesaler is to develop a business model that works for you, and then sticking to that model and revising it to fine tune your strategy as you learn more.Consider joining the Milwaukee Real Estate Investor Association (Google it) for networking opportunities with other wholesalers. 

HELOCs vary a lot by lender... it's not like the Fannie stuff where the money ultimately is coming from the same place.

Ultimately, it depends on your goals and what you are trying to accomplish.

Communication is the key - build a relationship with a realtor and if they are worth anything, they will realize what works for you.